


Nerian Lavellan

by embercookie



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bad Writing, Culture Shock, Don’t copy to another site, Fluff, How Do I Tag, Light Angst, Rough Draft
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-15
Updated: 2019-06-15
Packaged: 2020-05-12 14:15:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19230787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/embercookie/pseuds/embercookie
Summary: Nerian Lavellan grows accustomed to human things, culture, and luxuries along his journey to save the world. As well as the pro's and con's of being a religious icon.





	Nerian Lavellan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first fic that I ever made that I recently rediscovered and decided to pick up again.

"No! No! No! I will not, I refuse!" Nerian ran wildly through Havens streets, jumping and dodging every obstacle with ease. He would not wear those affronts to nature!

The cold wind bites at Nerian's face as it whipped the elf's unbound shoulder-length hair and sent the black locks flying about as he tries to escape.

"Herald please." One of Josephine's henchmen pleaded as she trailed after him and nearly bumped into every person she passed by in her haste. "Lady Montilye will be displeased with me." She paused and grabbed his wrist when she finally caught up to Nerian who was slowed as he pushed through Havens heavy gates.

"Unhand me!" He growled lowly as he attempted to dislodge her. How was it that shem woman were always taller than him? He was not that short was he? Compared to the rest of his clan he was normal. Average. Hardly the shortest. He is not short damn it!

"Lavellan?" Cullen called out from somewhere behind him, his boots crunched softly in the snow as he approached. "What's going on here?" His words sent a shiver of deja vu up Nerian's spine.

Nerian yanked free of the henchman and tuned to Cullen. Blue eyes met his own, green like the breach they now say. "They will not leave me be!" Nerian stomped a foot.

"The Herald will not see reason." The woman gestured at Nerian as she pressed her other hand to her forehead and her eyes seemed to almost plead with Cullen to come to her aid.

Cullen raised an eyebrow as he looked at them both.

Nerian turned towards the henchman to point rudely at her. "Unreasonable! You people are the ones harassing me!" Cullens arm shot out to separate the two and pushed Nerian behind himself, using his larger build to block the bickering pair from each other.

"Explain yourself! Why are you tormenting the Herald?" Cullen demands firmly, his stance becoming more ridged as he speaks and looks, no glares, down at the much smaller shem. The man is nothing if not loyal to a fault.

The shem, Edda, Nerian recalls, hesitated under Cullens stern gaze. "His worship refuses to wear boots Ser." she glared at Nerian's bare feet as if they had somehow personally insulted her. "He's sure to get frostbitten with the weather turning, Lady Montilye ordered His worship to be fitted accordingly." 

Cullen looks at her incredulously. "Boots?" he asked. The commander gave Nerian a questioning look. Was it so ridiculous that a Dalish (or a savage as the shems like to call his people) would not wish to wear such unnatural binding?

Nerian held Cullens gaze as he challenged and tested his will, and tried to hold his ground.  
The blond shem raised that damnable eyebrow and once again made him feel like an idiot, childish even. 

Cullen sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Herald please, it is for your welfare. Your well being is of great importance to us all," Cullen pleads. "Without you..." he tried to reason.

In the face of Cullens tired and pleading eyes Nerian's determination faltered. "But, I."

"Nerian, da'len" Solas interrupted.

"By the dread wolf! Solas!" Nerian jumped and pressed a hand to his racing heart. "Don't sneak up like that!" The man was quieter than the best hunters of Nerian’s clan.

Solas chuckled ( Ha! Chuckles, Nerian gets it now) and raised an arm behind Nerian without touching him. "A moment if you please," he asks them while gesturing with his other arm. Solas both invites, and guides Nerian away.

Nerian unquestioning followed after Solas who is taller than most elves he has ever known. Solas is one of the few people here that he trusts among these people. "Lethallin?" He asks as they come to a stop some feet away out of the human's earshot.

Solas put himself between Nerian and the vile henchman (Edda, he reminded himself) blocking the dark-haired shem from his view. "I know its hard da'len, but you must pander to the humans if you wish to succeed," he advised, tilting his bald head ever so slightly. "The breach threatens us all, your clan included." Solas's grey-blue eyes implore Nerian to understand, to see reason.

Nerian huffed and stared at his feet, kicking a foot to and fro as he kicked up snow in its wake. "But why hahren?" He glanced up at Solas from beneath his lashes as he pursed his lips.

Solas gave him a small, indulgent smile. It is so very much like Nerian’s keeper that it sent pangs of homesickness through him, squeezing his heart. "You need their help to close the breach." Solas gaze flickered to the tear in the sky. "And they need to see you as one of their own."

Nerian's head shot up to glare directly at Solas. "I am not."

"I know Nerian," Solas interrupts, "but they must believe you to be."

Nerian felt his resolve begin to slip away, "alright hahren." He accepts as he leaned forward to rest his brow on Solas's shoulder, seeking comfort from the only familiar thing he has in this wretched place so far from home.

Solas cradled the back of Nerians head and ran his fingers through the silken locks, allowing the boy a moment of comfort. The dalish were so easy and unashamed with the affection they shared with those they called kin, and Solas was the closest thing the youth had to kin right now. "Now." He ran his hand through Nerian's hair one last time. "Let's not leave the old maid waiting," Solas whispered conspiratorially before he pulled away from Nerian.

Nerian snorted and smothered his mirth behind his hand." she’s a henchman, not a maid."

Solas gave a small laugh as he turned, and lead them back to the two humans who were arguing quietly. "Ahh Cullen," Solas called. The two humans stopped arguing as Solas guided the younger and reluctant elf towards them. "Go on." He urged Nerian back to them. Solas nodded to Nerian, "thank you for your time da'len." He gave a small bow of his head before walking off and abandoned Nerian with the humans.

"I.. uh.." Nerian rubbed the back of his neck and refused to look the humans in the eyes.

Cullen frowned as he stepped forward, "are you alright Lavellan?" He placed an over large hand lightly on Nerian's arm.

Nerian glances at Edda. He did not wish to...But what he wished did not matter. He resolved himself to this indignity.For his people. For the world. "I'm fine." He looked up to Cullen (damn it why are humans so tall) and threw the brightest smile he could at the ex-Templar, "thank you, Cullen."

Backing slowly away Cullen coughed into a fist, "if you're sure?" Cullen turned to go back to training his men but hesitated as he waits for Nerian's answer.

"Yes, yes," Nerian waved for the commander to go. Cullen nodded as he goes on his way.

"Come on Edda,” Nerian said causing The human woman, Edda to jump to attention as he walks off. "let's get back before Josephine finds us gone." Nerian teased, allowing himself a small act of vengeance for the horrors she was about to introduce him to. She visibly shuddered at the reminder.


End file.
